High impact information on UXS1

• The SQV-1 UDP-glucuronic acid decarboxylase and the SQV-7 nucleotide-sugar transporter may act in the Golgi apparatus to affect Caenorhabditis elegans vulval morphogenesis and embryonic development [1].
• Close homologs of the cryptococcal gene, which we termed UXS1, appear in genome sequence data from organisms ranging from bacteria to humans [2].
• Biosynthesis of UDP-xylose is mediated by UDP-glucuronic acid decarboxylase, which converts UDP-glucuronic acid to UDP-xylose [2].
• We used homology to a bacterial gene, hypothesized to encode a related function, to identify a cryptococcal sequence as putatively encoding a UDP-glucuronic acid decarboxylase [2].
• Isogenic pairs of O-acetyl-positive and O-acetyl-negative strains (cas1 Delta) as well as xylose-positive and xylose-negative strains (uxs1 Delta) of serotype D have been reported [3].

Biological context of UXS1

• The goal of this study was to examine the effects of the cas1 Delta and uxs1 Delta mutations on the following: (i) binding of anti-GXM monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) in capsular quellung reactions, (ii) activation of the complement system and binding of C3, (iii) phagocytosis by neutrophils, and (iv) clearance of GXM in vivo [3].

Associations of UXS1 with chemical compounds

• UDP glucuronate decarboxylase and synthesis of capsular polysaccharide in Cryptococcus neoformans [4].

References